


All that I’m holding in my hand (baby it’s yours to take)

by LeftPawedPolarBear



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Comfort/Angst, F/F, Ficlet, Hurt/Comfort, Pre-Fic character death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-01
Updated: 2016-09-01
Packaged: 2018-08-12 07:36:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7926172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeftPawedPolarBear/pseuds/LeftPawedPolarBear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nicole comforts Waverly after Doc's untimely death</p>
            </blockquote>





	All that I’m holding in my hand (baby it’s yours to take)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [isawet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/isawet/gifts).



> Written at the request of [sunspill](http://sunspill.tumblr.com/)  
> Thanks to [iamthegaysmurf](http://iamthegaysmurf.tumblr.com/) for being my beta  
> Title comes from the lyrics of 'Yours to Shake' by Greylag

Somehow Nicole knows exactly where to look.

Doc hasn’t slept in the barn in a long time, and Waverly and Nicole haven’t used it for their own _purposes_ in even longer. The wooden frame of the bed has long since lost it’s blankets and pillows; now it contains nothing but hay.

Still, Nicole feels a strong sense of déjà vu when the barn door creaks open to reveal Waverly Earp, curled in on herself in what was once Doc’s makeshift home, at the foot of what was once Doc’s makeshift bed.

Waverly doesn’t acknowledge her when she crosses the room, the hay strewn across the ground rustling against her boots. Nicole reaches her mark and turns to lean against the wall, taking off her gloves and waiting for Waverly’s line.

“I’m--”

The next word never comes and Nicole’s clamps her lips down on her response, the one already on the tip of her tongue, because they’re off-script now. And suddenly Nicole sees that the past, which she has been clinging to like an instruction manual or a storybook with a happy ending, has no words of wisdom to share with her here.

Waverly is silent and Nicole waits for her cue--there’s always a cue with Waverly; Waverly makes the first move even when she doesn’t--and then wood is groaning and rasping against nails as Waverly uncurls herself and stands, favoring her right leg slightly as she shuffles across the hay.

And then she’s in Nicole’s arms and Nicole releases her breath, causing strands of Waverly’s hair to flutter. She’s still caked head to toe with blood and sweat and dirt from the battle, but Nicole holds her tight and breathes her in and thinks this is the closest she will ever come to actually grasping Love in her fingertips.

Waverly is speaking, but the words are muffled by Nicole’s coat, so Nicole releases Waverly and carefully cups her face in her hands, thumbs rubbing soft patterns on Waverly’s cheeks.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen.” Waverly and Nicole are nose to nose, and yet Waverly’s whisper is so soft that for a moment Nicole questions whether she spoke at all.

Nicole supposes no one ever _assumes_ death is part of the script. Not before Act 5, at least. And not at all in real life. But even though she’s still not sure what Waverly needs from her, she’s certain she doesn’t need to hear _that_ , so instead Nicole kisses her forehead, featherlight, and even though none of this is familiar, she delivers her old line anyway.

“I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be longer and involve a little less hurt and a little more comfort but it kind of just...ended. If I ever feel inspired I might come back and add into it but for now, this is all I got.


End file.
